Question for others who also have issues with moderation

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  • jvcjim
    jvcjim Posts: 812 Member
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    itsreneabitch wrote: »
    I pre-log my meals each day so I can plan my snacks accordingly. I rarely buy cookies and the best way I deal with wanting those unhealthy snacks is it is the first thing I set in the cart when I shop, in the seat part for children so it isn't easy to miss. By the time I am done shopping I am ready to put it back and I never leave with it. Sometimes just having it within reach, in my possession, for a small amount of time is just as satisfying as actually consuming it.
    Ido this with booze.... if there is no scotch, gin or cognac in the house that is all i want... if i know there is some and i can have it whenever i want it ... i do not crave it
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,315 Member
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    I've always had that problem, that's why before mfp, I didn't lose weight. I ate "healthy" but too much. I still have that temptation. I just ate lunch & want more of the same or a "snack" to have but I have a glass of water or iced tea & tell myself I'll wait 20 min & if I still want something I'll have it but usually after 20min I don't. It's a matter of walking away right away.
  • phlegmfatale1
    phlegmfatale1 Posts: 24 Member
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    i have to not eat foods like that when i'm ravenous. if i'm super hungry it's going to taste 30000x better, and will be easier to overeat.
  • Moxie42
    Moxie42 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    Portioning out helps me a LOT. If there is a bag of chips in the house, there is a good chance I will eat the whole bag (or want to and struggle resisting that urge). It's easy to think "just a tiny bit more..." But if I buy pre-portioned "treats" (string cheese, 100-cal bags of chips/cookies/chocolate/trail mix, mini ice cream cones) it's easier to stop at one. Having those around gives me something to look forward to and the ability to tell myself "I can have another tomorrow."

    At restaurants I'm trying to get back into the habit of asking the server to have half of my meal boxed up before it's even served. At first I felt awkward asking that but honestly, it usually results in some sort of comment from the server like "that's a good idea, I should remember to do that!" and a little laugh. Or they just don't care. If someone gets weird about it, I think that's a THEM problem. Or if that's uncomfortable for you, splitting your meal in half as soon as it arrives so you see it as two meals. That helps me avoid the "just one more bite" scenario.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    Mostly, by knowing I'm not going to be eating more. It's just not an option. No 'maybe if'; this is my one and only cookie, and the rest have already gone into the airtight box in the cupboard.

    This. I have a planned after dinner dessert. It might be cheese (which I used to overeat) or ice cream or a macaron from this new bakery near me or something else. I measure out my portion, put it away, and enjoy what I am having. If the possibility to have more is open I will want more, but if this is my dessert and no more I am able to focus on it.

    Also, and it may not be OP's issue, but it was mine, focusing on and thinking about the thing I am eating while I am eating it, not doing it as a supplement to some other activity (i.e., wanting to eat while watching a video).

    I pretty much stopped eating at the movies/while watching TV when I joined MFP.

    It's just the whole 'thinking about eating more instead of appreciating what I have' mentality that really annoys me. I wish I could understand why eating only one serving is so hard sometimes, when the next one is just going to taste the same... and I could just eat the first one more slowly and appreciate it more or something.

    Is it possible to just take off the table the idea of having more? That is what really helped me, with all sorts of things, the idea that I'd eat what I put on my plate and no more, not today. I stopped having seconds. Now I sometimes do give myself permission to eat as much as I want, but that's a choice, and not something I do when logging.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    For me, this is a complex and ever evolving issue. Right now...

    I just don't let myself have the option of "one more" of certain foods. I don't buy cookies, chips, ice cream, candy "for the house" anymore. I'll eat as much as I want when there's an occasion, and home alone is never going to be an occasion.

    I have had success with another approach for homemade cheesecake though. It was interesting. I ate 1/6 of it every day for 6 days. That was a big chunk every day, but I could easily have eaten more. But I was also satisfied. I knew I had to eat it somewhat quickly, but I also knew I would have cake for six days if I spread it out. I really wanted to eat cake for six days, so I made that happen. I felt strange, like a different person. It was great.

    The line between "real food" and "junk food" is getting blurry, relieving a lot of stress. I consider how each individual food will make me feel, at that moment, in that amount and in that context, instead of separating foods into good/bad.

    For "regular" "extras" (nuts, honey, dried fruit etc), I will eat according to weight trend and fancy. My meal plan creates a very slight deficit, so I have to eat something extra occasionally. That feels great. But I do have some trouble moderating those extras, and occasionally has a tendency to be more and more often, so my weight will go up from time to time. Then it's back to just meals. Right now I'm on a "cut", and I'm fine with that too.

    Not fearing food or irrationally thinking one bite will make me gain ten pounds, has helped tremendously. I've also become more picky (in a good way) - not primarily because of the calories, I want everything I eat to be worth it in every aspect - so I don't eat anything just because it's "healthy", and I won't eat something just because it's there.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    Mostly, by knowing I'm not going to be eating more. It's just not an option. No 'maybe if'; this is my one and only cookie, and the rest have already gone into the airtight box in the cupboard.

    This. I have a planned after dinner dessert. It might be cheese (which I used to overeat) or ice cream or a macaron from this new bakery near me or something else. I measure out my portion, put it away, and enjoy what I am having. If the possibility to have more is open I will want more, but if this is my dessert and no more I am able to focus on it.

    Also, and it may not be OP's issue, but it was mine, focusing on and thinking about the thing I am eating while I am eating it, not doing it as a supplement to some other activity (i.e., wanting to eat while watching a video).

    I pretty much stopped eating at the movies/while watching TV when I joined MFP.

    It's just the whole 'thinking about eating more instead of appreciating what I have' mentality that really annoys me. I wish I could understand why eating only one serving is so hard sometimes, when the next one is just going to taste the same... and I could just eat the first one more slowly and appreciate it more or something.

    Is it possible to just take off the table the idea of having more? That is what really helped me, with all sorts of things, the idea that I'd eat what I put on my plate and no more, not today. I stopped having seconds. Now I sometimes do give myself permission to eat as much as I want, but that's a choice, and not something I do when logging.

    Yeah it's what I used to do lol. But it's harder now for some reason!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    Mostly, by knowing I'm not going to be eating more. It's just not an option. No 'maybe if'; this is my one and only cookie, and the rest have already gone into the airtight box in the cupboard.

    This. I have a planned after dinner dessert. It might be cheese (which I used to overeat) or ice cream or a macaron from this new bakery near me or something else. I measure out my portion, put it away, and enjoy what I am having. If the possibility to have more is open I will want more, but if this is my dessert and no more I am able to focus on it.

    Also, and it may not be OP's issue, but it was mine, focusing on and thinking about the thing I am eating while I am eating it, not doing it as a supplement to some other activity (i.e., wanting to eat while watching a video).

    I pretty much stopped eating at the movies/while watching TV when I joined MFP.

    It's just the whole 'thinking about eating more instead of appreciating what I have' mentality that really annoys me. I wish I could understand why eating only one serving is so hard sometimes, when the next one is just going to taste the same... and I could just eat the first one more slowly and appreciate it more or something.

    Is it possible to just take off the table the idea of having more? That is what really helped me, with all sorts of things, the idea that I'd eat what I put on my plate and no more, not today. I stopped having seconds. Now I sometimes do give myself permission to eat as much as I want, but that's a choice, and not something I do when logging.

    Yeah it's what I used to do lol. But it's harder now for some reason!

    I go through periods where it's harder than others, definitely.
  • ninjamere1
    ninjamere1 Posts: 40 Member
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    I'm lucky that I don't really care for cookies. Now a Snickers or some other similar type candy bar I cannot stick to a fun size one. My trick is to get regular size bar and freeze it solid. I make sure there's room in my day for the whole thing.

    When it's frozen I can take tiny bites a lot easier so it lasts quite awhile. I do this with grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple, berries etc. Being frozen really slows me down and since I get to keep savoring the flavor for a longer time I can control my calories and urges much better.


    Some stuff I simply take a weighed portion that fits my day then hand the rest to my kids or friends. - like chips, fries, ice cream etc
  • hlblakeley
    hlblakeley Posts: 55 Member
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    If I can, I will take half a serving initially (1 of 2). That way if I want more I have room to "cheat" by eating the whole portion. By logging the whole portion ahead of time, it keeps me on track.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
    edited May 2017
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    With cookies, I mostly make them from scratch and only bake one serving for each of us. I portion out the rest of the batter and freeze it, and over time continue to cook one serving at a time.

    When I buy cookies, I usually end up eating more than I want and getting upset with myself.

    I've stopped making brownies from scratch and started using a box mix with artificial flavors that he doesn't mind but I do, so I'm not tempted.

    tomteboda wrote: »
    Sometimes one "serving" is a pathetic insult to the food. Then I simply eat the amount I wish to consume, provided it fits in my budget. Like ice cream. I'm sorry, I'm never, EVER going to be happy with 1/2 cup of ice cream. Just not going to happen.
    I may have to try this next month. (I eat at maintenance premenstrually so have more calories to play with at this time.) It was torture making the last pint I bought last for four servings.
  • SoozeE512
    SoozeE512 Posts: 439 Member
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    RelCanonical wrote: »
    I'm trying to practice mindfulness in all aspects of my life, and food is one of those. Trying to intentionally enjoy the cookie as it is now, and not worrying about anything else during that time, whether it is the cookie or anything else going on in my life. My mind tends to wander while I'm eating, and I want another food thing because I didn't really enjoy the first one ('cause I was thinking about something else, even if it was just another cookie).

    ^ This. Reaching for another cookie and another and another and never really enjoying the experience is mindless eating. Be mindful!

    Any time your mind starts to stray, bring yourself back to what you're currently doing. Slow your thoughts down by placing all of your focus on that one thing and noticing all of the sensations that goes along with it. Ask yourself questions about it so you pay more attention to it -- like, "What is the texture like against my tongue? What flavors am I detecting? If I let this sit on my tongue for a moment, will the flavor linger?" Any time your mind starts to wander, bring yourself back to those questions about what you're currently doing.

    And when you're done eating that first cookie, be mindful of that and ask yourself more questions, "Was that experience satisfying? Can I still taste the flavor of it? Is my stomach satiated or am I still hungry? Do I have more calories to eat another cookie today? Should I wait until the next meal or wait until tomorrow to savor another one? Will it help my weight loss effort if I keep eating more now, or will I feel better about myself if I wait to have another one at a later time?" And then determine whether or not you have more and how many. And if you eat more, eat them just as mindfully as the first one.

  • RedheadedPrincess14
    RedheadedPrincess14 Posts: 415 Member
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    I honestly can't moderate so I just cut all highly palatable food (salt, sugar, and oil ) out of my diet. Fruit is fine of course and natural salt and sugars in food. After the first three weeks, it's literally so much easier than trying to moderate those cookies. Now I'll just have a cookie made with mashed banana and oats ... much less stimulating and I can stop when I'm full
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »
    I honestly can't moderate so I just cut all highly palatable food (salt, sugar, and oil ) out of my diet. Fruit is fine of course and natural salt and sugars in food. After the first three weeks, it's literally so much easier than trying to moderate those cookies. Now I'll just have a cookie made with mashed banana and oats ... much less stimulating and I can stop when I'm full

    That sounds interesting. What recipe do you use? I found this: http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2013/09/2-ingredient-healthy-banana-bread-breakfast-cookies-with-delicious-add-ins/

  • allyphoe
    allyphoe Posts: 618 Member
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    There are some things I cannot eat in moderation, including most commercial desserts. Stuff made from scratch does not seem to have the same effect; my guess is because I usually cut the sugar way back. So I don't usually buy commercial desserts for myself. There are usually some in the house, but they don't bother me because they aren't mine.

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